Perhilitan to take measures to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts

PETALING JAYA: The Department of Wildlife and National Parks Selangor (Perhilitan Selangor) will take precautionary measures to mitigate the number of human-wildlife conflicts in Sungai Buloh, said its director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim.

This came after a wild boar attack at a mosque there.

"Following this incident, Perhilitan Selangor went to the scene to conduct an investigation and to take follow-up action on the human-wildlife conflicts in the area," he said in a statement on Thursday (March 8).

Abdul Kadir said that the Sungai Buloh area is a hotspot for human-wildlife conflicts involving wild boars.

He said a total of 451 human-wildlife conflicts involving wild boards in Selangor have been recorded from 2012 to 2017.

Of that figure, 69 of the complaints had occurred in Sungai Buloh.

Abdul Kadir said Perhilitan Selangor had carried out five operations to eradicate wild boars in the area in January and February this year.

"During the operations, eight wild boars were shot and disposed of by Perhilitan," said Abdul Kadir.

A lost wild boar entered a mosque at Kampung Sungai Plong on Tuesday (March 6) at around 8pm as worshippers were performing additional prayers (solat sunat) after Maghrib prayers, and a mosque-goer was injured by the wild boar amid the ruckus.

The wild boar was later shot dead by villagers.

According to the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, wildlife that is a danger to human life can be killed and reported to Perhilitan.

"In this regard, Perhilitan thanks the villagers for taking quick action to shoot the wild boar that posed as a danger to human life," said Abdul Kadir.

Any complaints regarding human-wildlife conflicts can be reported to the Perhilitan Hotline [phone] (Monday-Sunday, 8am to 6pm), or lodge an e-complaint through the website www.wildlife.gov.my.